Jesus and the demoniac

22 Now on one of those days Jesus and His disciples got into a boat, and He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they launched out.

After a faith testing storm (Lk8:24-25)

Luke 8:24–25 NASB95

24 They came to Jesus and woke Him up, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And He got up and rebuked the wind and the surging waves, and they stopped, and it became calm. 25 And He said to them, “Where is your faith?” They were fearful and amazed, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him?”

They get to the other side. Jesus gets us through our storms when we have faith in Him.

A great passage of study

Luke 8:26–27 NASB95

26 Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27 And when He came out onto the land, He was met by a man from the city who was possessed with demons; and who had not put on any clothing for a long time, and was not living in a house, but in the tombs.

Luke 8:28–29 NASB95

28 Seeing Jesus, he cried out and fell before Him, and said in a loud voice, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me.” 29 For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had seized him many times; and he was bound with chains and shackles and kept under guard, and yet he would break his bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert.

Luke 8:30–31 NASB95

30 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. 31 They were imploring Him not to command them to go away into the abyss.

Luke 8:32–33 NASB95

32 Now there was a herd of many swine feeding there on the mountain; and the demons implored Him to permit them to enter the swine. And He gave them permission. 33 And the demons came out of the man and entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.

Luke 8:34–35 NASB95

34 When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they ran away and reported it in the city and out in the country. 35 The people went out to see what had happened; and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting down at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they became frightened.

Luke 8:36–37 NASB95

36 Those who had seen it reported to them how the man who was demon-possessed had been made well. 37 And all the people of the country of the Gerasenes and the surrounding district asked Him to leave them, for they were gripped with great fear; and He got into a boat and returned.

Luke 8:38–39 NASB95

38 But the man from whom the demons had gone out was begging Him that he might accompany Him; but He sent him away, saying, 39 “Return to your house and describe what great things God has done for you.” So he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.

Anything significant stick out to you in this passage?

If you were to give a title line to this passage what would you call it?

Who is the they (v.26)? and how do you know?

They is the disciples (v.22).

What points, facts do you learn (v.27)?

A man met Jesus who was

Possessed by demons

Naked, living in the tombs not a house.

What was the demon’s plea (v.28)?

Do not torment me!

To add to our list of facts about the man, what more facts do you learn (v.29)?

Seized many times

Bound with chains and shackles, under guard

Breaks bonds, and driven by demons out to the desert

What were the demons plea (v.31)?

Do not command them to go away into the abyss

Jesus gave the demons permission to do what (v.32)?

To go into a heard of swine

The swine drown themselves (v.33); what do the herdsman do (v.34)?

Ran away to the city and reported it in the city and the country

What did the people find when they came out (v.35)?

The previously demon possessed man at the feet of Jesus

Clothed and in right mind

How did the people feel about this when they saw it (v.36-37)?

They were gripped with great fear

They wanted Jesus to leave

Why did Jesus not let the demoniac go with him, what did he instruct him to do (vv.38-39)?

Go to your house, tell what great things God has done for you.

Description of the Demoniac

FYI, you can find the parallel story in (Mt8:28-34; Mk5:1-20) I will reference it in this lesson.

Country of Gadarenes was on eastern side of Sea of Galilee, in a gentile area of the Decapolis.

Luke gives great description of demon possessed man (v.27, 29), you see limited information in Mt8:28) though in Matthew is says “two”.

Matthew 8:28 NASB95

28 When He came to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, two men who were demon-possessed met Him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so extremely violent that no one could pass by that way.

Demon possessed for long time

No clothes, lived like an animal

Lived among the dead by force of demon

He would gnash himself (Mk5:5)

Mark 5:5 NASB95

5 Constantly, night and day, he was screaming among the tombs and in the mountains, and gashing himself with stones.

The man was tormented and cried out day and night (Mk5:5)

No one could subdue him (Mk5:4)

Mark 5:4 NASB95

4 because he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him and the shackles broken in pieces, and no one was strong enough to subdue him.

Sometimes demons of selfishness, pride, ego, addictions can get of people and there is nothing or no one that can subdue outside of Jesus.

Demon knew who Jesus was, knew the power of Jesus, the demon had faith. (ref: Jm2:19)

Consider (Jm2:19)

James 2:19 NASB95

19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.

I found this interesting and thought would share from Word for Today commentary.

“Demonic possession is when a demonic spirit resides in a human body, and at times will exhibit its own personality through the personality of the host body. Demonic possession is a reality today, though we must guard against either ignoring demonic activity or over-emphasizing supposed demonic activity.”

Superstition, fortunetelling, so-called harmless occult games and practices, as well as spiritism, New Age deception, magic, drug taking and other things open the doors of deception to the believer, and real demonic danger to the unbeliever. - Bible exposition commentary

What we can know about demons

They have faith (Jm2:19)

They believe in Jesus authority (Lk8:28)

They believe in future judgment (Mt8:29)

They believe in a place of torment (Lk8:31)

One more cool fact to consider:

The man was driven to the wilderness by the Demon;

Jesus was driven to the wilderness by the Spirit.

One to destroy, and one to develop.

So if you find yourself in a wilderness time, tried, tested, disturbed, discouraged, dismayed, hold on this is a time when your faith in Jesus will help develop not destroy you!

(transition) -Now may we turn to Jesus demonstrated power.

Jesus demonstrated authority

Luke 8:30–31 NLT

30 Jesus demanded, “What is your name?” “Legion,” he replied, for he was filled with many demons. 31 The demons kept begging Jesus not to send them into the bottomless pit.

Luke 8:32–33 NLT

32 There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby, and the demons begged him to let them enter into the pigs. So Jesus gave them permission. 33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned.

The plea, do not send us into the abyss (v.31)

The abyss, also known as abusso, please where demons were incarcerated, would appear to be somewhere in the sea (sometimes referred to as bottomless pit; Rev9:11)

“Notice that the demon’s can’t even afflict pigs without permission of God. Since a demon cannot enter even into a swine without being sent by God himself, how little is the power or malice of them to be dreaded by those who have God for their portion and protector.” (Clarke)

The destructive nature of the demons (some versions say devils) are just the same as Satan (Jn10:10)

John 10:10 NASB95

10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

Crowds reaction

Luke 8:34–35 NLT

34 When the herdsmen saw it, they fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran. 35 People rushed out to see what had happened. A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been freed from the demons. He was sitting at Jesus’ feet, fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid.

Luke 8:36–37 NLT

36 Then those who had seen what happened told the others how the demon-possessed man had been healed. 37 And all the people in the region of the Gerasenes begged Jesus to go away and leave them alone, for a great wave of fear swept over them. So Jesus returned to the boat and left, crossing back to the other side of the lake.

You can notice from this passage that the people were in great fear, more fear from Jesus than from the demons.

Part of the fear was the fact that what was going on was contrary to their superstitions. According to the exorcists the demons would have an upper hand, but in Jesus case it was not true.

“When people are more afraid of what Jesus will do in their lives than what Satan does at the moment, they often push Jesus away-and He may leave when asked to.” (Guzik)

That is exactly what Jesus did, leave.

The previously demon possessed man wanted to go, but Jesus had other plans for him.

The ask, the directions

Luke 8:38–39 NLT

38 The man who had been freed from the demons begged to go with him. But Jesus sent him home, saying, 39 “No, go back to your family, and tell them everything God has done for you.” So he went all through the town proclaiming the great things Jesus had done for him.

The man begged to go with Jesus

Nothing wrong with wanting to be with Jesus, many left their lives behind to follow Him.

He was so changed he just wanted to be near Him and serve Him.

Jesus wanted the man to go home and share the great things the Lord has done.

Sometimes the best way we can serve the Lord starts at home, right in your household, your neighborhood.

He had a great message to tell, as do you! . Your story that leads to God’s word, God’s word leads to salvation!